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Manchester University is one of five institutions to be hit by walkouts Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire/PA Images

Five universities across the region will be hit by strike action today.

Members of the University and College Union are striking at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, University of Liverpool, University of Lancaster, University of Manchester and the University of Salford.

It is the first of fourteen planned walk outs in the next four weeks as part of a nationwide dispute over pensions.